Aaron Franklin’s pinto beans

Now, I probably don’t need to tell you who Aaron Franklin is, but if you’re not familiar with him he has a barbecue joint in Austin called Franklin Barbecue, and is generally regarded as one of the finest pitmasters in barbecue. He’s most renowned for his brisket, and every day hundreds of people will wait in long lines to try a sample of his beef.

He recently came out with a book called Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto, which explains his method. While there aren’t many recipes per se, as far as cookbooks go it’s a wonderful read. The book starts off with the story of how he got into the barbecue business, and this section is especially compelling to me, as he not only goes into how much time and hard work he put into developing his barbecue technique, but he also describes how he’d sit quietly in his first barbecue trailer and dream about all that could be.

He then talks about everything you need to know to create beautiful barbecue, from building your own smoker to butchering your meat. The only thing he doesn’t cover is how to chop down trees for wood. I reckon he’s saving that for his next book.

I read a lot of cookbooks, but this might be the first that actually made me so homesick I almost cried. It’s clear that Aaron loves Texas but I also regretted that I didn’t have a backyard space to put into practice some of his barbecue philosophies, let alone the space and tools to weld a new smoker. That said, as much as I enjoy Aaron’s brisket I think his beans may be even better. I’ve talked before about how much I love his pinto beans, which are peppery, flavorful, and rich. They’re perfectly seasoned and one time when I was at an event where he was serving barbecue, it was his beans I went back for seconds, not the meat. So while I’m not immediately able to smoke meat his way, in his new book he has shared a recipe for his beans and I can make that in my tiny kitchen.

His recipe is fairly simple. You soak the pintos with diced onion and a blend of spices, and then cook the beans with chopped smoked brisket. Of course, when you’re making these at home, you probably won’t have Franklin Barbecue brisket (unless you have leftovers, but I understand that rarely happens). But when I made the recipe with some local barbecue, the beans still turned out excellent.

Aaron’s instructions are for stovetop cooking, but I found that the recipe also works in a slow cooker, too. The most important thing if you choose to do it that way is to remove the lid for the last two hours of cooking so the broth can reduce.

These barbecue pinto beans make a fine side for your next gathering, though they’re hearty enough to be served on their own with slices of warm cornbread. And if you don’t eat meat, you could even make them vegetarian. While the brisket contributes a layer of flavor, it’s only a supporting player. In this dish, the beans are the true stars.

I look forward to someday following Aaron’s approach for smoking meat. But these incredible pinto beans aside, his book still holds much value for me, as it’s not just about barbecue—it’s also a reminder that hard work and dreaming big are the keys to achieving any goal you may seek.

Print

Aaron Franklin’s pinto beans

Servings8

AuthorAdapted by Lisa Fain from Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto

Ingredients

1pounddried pinto beans

1/4medium yellow onion, diced

1/4cupchile powder

1 1/2tablespoonskosher salt

1tablespoonblack pepper

2teaspoonsonion powder

2teaspoonsgarlic powder

1/4teaspoonground cumin

1cupchopped smoked brisket

Instructions

Rinse the pinto beans and remove any rocks. Place the beans, onion, chili powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin in a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, stir until the spices are well distributed, and then soak the beans uncovered for 8 hours. Alternatively, you can bring the pot to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let them quick soak for 1 hour.

To cook the beans, add the brisket to the pot. (Do not drain the soaking liquid.) You want there to be at least an inch and a half of water above the beans, so add more water to the pot if needed. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down the heat down to low, cover the pot, and then gently simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the cover and then continue to cook the beans until they’re tender, which will depend on the age of the beans. This can happen anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours.

If you want to make these in the slow cooker, after soaking, cook them covered on low for 6 hours, then remove the lid and continue to cook on low for 2 more hours.

Recipe Notes

If you’re not using kosher salt but table salt or sea salt instead, reduce the amount of salt to 1 tablespoon, otherwise the beans may be too salty.

Thank you for this recipe! I love beans and I have stood in that line for Franklin BBQ. Well, I played Heads Up with my best friend and sat in beach chairs with a case of beer. Four hours later as the line moved along, we had Aaron's brisket, sausage, and like you said, perfectly seasoned beans. It was worth it!

Great recipe, thanks. The basic difference between my beans and Aaron's is he uses cumin and I like to add a can of Ro*Tel. I also, at times, add some browned ground beef rather than the smoked brisket. You have a great site.Jim

Being a Homesick Texan (at least for the food) myself, I find it difficult to find good brisket where I am on the Gulf Coast. I think I'll try this recipe with smoked sausage, maybe even some boudin links, or maybe I'll take about 12-16 hours of my day tomorrow and smoke my own brisket. I bought the book when it came out, and I agree Lisa, it is a fantastic read. I hope to one day make it to Franklin's and try his famous brisket myself.

As a native Texan, I also think of pinto beans as a beloved symbol of home…and great memories! My mother used to put bacon grease in there…I can taste them now. Thanks for the memories and great recipes!

I grew up much poorer than I realized at the time, and we had pinto beans for dinner about once a week.Mom simmered them with a big chunk of salt pork, and for us kids served them over slices of white bread with a side of sliced white onion. I still miss them. As for cornbread, my grandfather loved to fill a glass with chunks of cornbread, and poured buttermilk over it. That's a concoction I will never comprehend. LOL While I live in Texas, your recipes frequently take me back to my childhood. Thank you.

Love your blog as a Homesick Texan in Portland, Oregon. Aaron comes here for Feast Portland, thank goodness but that's not enough so last Thanksgiving when we went home, we ordered 2 briskets to bring home! didn't try the beans so thanks – will now.

Hi Lisa – I love his book and agree it makes me homesick for TX. Have successfully used his wrap method to improve my brisket and shoulder. If you are ever up near Syracuse you have a yard to play in! 🙂

I have been smoking my soaked brand in a colander on my traeger for about a half hour before adding them to a dutch oven with onion, ham hock and spices. I may have to try leaving them in their soaking liquid for the smoking part to get my Franklin bean working.

YOUR first cookbook makes me feel so homesick I almost cry! My fiance and I write down the date on a recipe in your book every time we make it. I've got bookmarks (sticky notes) all throughout, too! I've also got an official bookmark so that I remember where I left of in the reading of the stories that come between the sections. Beautiful writing!

Lisa, these are so good! I used Dickie's chopped brisket and address feechoppedchipotkes for my pepper head husband. They are divine- the kind of food that will haunt me until I make them again.Thank you for the recipe!

Have you seen the "Franklin on BBQ" series on PBS? He is very charming in a dorky/aw shucks kind of way, but he' also a great educator about a subject which is his passion as well as livelihood. You can watch episodes at pbs.org if you missed it.

I will definitely try this recipe out on my friends. Your carnitas were a HUGE hit at my apartment in London last week! Thank you for the wonderful food that makes me feel oh so much closer to home:) xo

Really good recipe. I made it exactly as written except I didn't have brisket. It was excellent. A little rich. Couldn't eat too much of it. With the leftovers I added ground beef, green pepper, and a jar of salsa I had in the fridge raider. It made the best chili I've ever had.

Thanks SO MUCH for the recipe! I'm too old and too far away to be able to visit Aaron but I love watching his PBS show with my son on Saturdays. I made these beans carefully, following the recipe exactly (which I never do) so that I could "virtually" taste some of his food. It came out amazing! In my case though, the smoked brisket I used (mine) was a major component of the flavor profile. Down here in the deep south, our beans are always navy beans, but these pinto beans will now be a permanent part of my culinary repertoire.

Hi, I love your blog. I am a “Davy Crockett” Texan; got here as soon as I could. Chili powder question. Gebhardt’s, Mexene? Or…chile powder? I haven’t sat in the line for Franklin’s yet, but on my list!

Dear Lisa, Glad you mentioned that bit about the chili powder being ancho. I think your Dr. Pepper Brisket would be a fine substitute for the smoked brisket. I’ll have to save a cup next time I make the brisket because there is never any left! Thanks so much for your great recipes!

Lisa, Fantastic recipe. I used some of my own brisket and reduced the liquid in my smoker for more smoky goodness. Thanks for the comment on the chile powder. Found powdered Ancho and it was perfect! As a northerner, I would have used a prepackaged Chili powder blend and would have gotten an entirely different taste.

Post navigation

Recent Posts

Categories

Categories

Never miss a recipe!

Enter your email and you’ll receive a message every time a new post is published.

Leave this field empty if you’re human:

Related

My latest book!

Queso has arrived!

Queso (aka chile con queso) is a spicy, cheesy, comforting favorite that's long been a delicious addition to any gathering. This appealing and accessible book features a mix of down-home standards and contemporary updates, from historical, regional, and Mexican quesos to vegan and dessert quesos. A must for all queso lovers!